Tag: black beans

Entrée, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Meal Prep, Mexican

Enjoying These Easy Enchiladas

Annie

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Now that I’ve made homemade enchiladas, the filling and flavor combinations are endless. These Turkey, Spinach, & Black Bean Enchiladas are hearty, bursting with flavor, and easy to make. I’d consider these enchiladas to be a “lightened up” version since they’re full of lean animal and plant-based protein, use corn tortillas, and you make your own enchilada sauce from scratch in under 5 minutes. Full disclosure: Ted bought a large bunch of cilantro and we’re were purposefully trying to use it up. This recipe is very cilantro heavy since 1). it adds a burst of flavor quite effortlessly; and 2). waste not. If you’re not a cilantro fan, don’t worry! Just omit cilantro, but it do add a flavor like no other.

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Dairy-Free, Entrée, Gluten-Free, Meal Prep, Mexican, One Pot Dish, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian

Bountiful Black Bean Soup

Annie

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It’s spring in Boston! Meaning it’s moving to be consistently above freezing during the day. Here’s a bright, vibrant soup to transition from those cold, bundled up winter days to I-just-need-a-light-jacket. Black Bean Soup is a pantry staple. Chances are you have a can of black beans or a bag of dry black beans sitting around in your pantry. Add some veggies and spices, top with avocado, Greek yogurt (or sour cream) and some lime juice for a colorful, light, yet filling soup.

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Breakfast/Brunch, Dairy-Free, Lightened Up, One Pot Dish, Vegetarian

Sizzling Skillet Huevos Rancheros

Annie

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I haven’t posted a breakfast/brunch recipe in a while, and this one is worthy of a post on its own. Meaning “ranch eggs” or “rancher’s eggs,” Skillet Huevos Rancheros is a one pan meal that’s super easy to make and prep ahead of time. You can cook your eggs to however you like, but I like mine runny so they meld with the homemade rancheros sauce or salsa that you make, the refried beans and avocados. I had leftover spinach and zucchini so I tossed it in, but you can’t even tell. I also used a low-carb whole wheat tortilla from Trader Joe’s, but you can keep it authentic and gluten-free with corn ones. If you prep ahead of time, make the sauce, and store the ingredients separately, so you can easily assemble.

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Better Than Takeout, Dairy-Free, Entrée, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Meal Prep, Mexican, One Pot Dish, Slow Cooker, Vegan, Vegetarian

Craving These Slow Cooker Burrito Bowls

Annie

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My mom has been raving about this lentil chili she made this past winter that called for smoked paprika. I keep seeing recipes call for this spice, and I came across a recipe for slow cooker burrito bowls, which — ding, ding, ding! — called for smoked paprika. Given that it’s been unseasonable cold here and that I wanted some meal prep for a busy start of the week, I pulled out the crock pot and made Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls. I totally want to make these with chicken next time, but I’ll need a bit more foresight to thaw the chicken from my freezer. Instead, I tossed in sweet potatoes and made these bowls with brown rice and black beans for a yummy dish. These have a risotto-like consistency and I found myself adding more homemade vegetable broth than expected. The smoked paprika pairs so well with the black beans and sweet potato; it gives the bowls a flavor similar to chorizo, but keeps it vegetarian.

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Appetizer, Entrée, Lightened Up, Mexican, Snack, Vegetarian

Craving Some Cheesy Quesadillas

Annie

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I’ve been craving quesadillas lately. I’m not entirely sure what spawned this craving, but I’m going to blame the nachos I had last week. (I personally blame Nacho Mama for posting all of her mouthwatering nacho finds around the Boston area.) This craving could also be contributed to the fact that I made an impromptu quesadilla while in St. Thomas, complete with pinto beans in the cheesy inside and topped with freshly chopped lettuce and salsa. Man, did that hit the spot. Instead, I give you Black Bean Spinach Quesadilla with a crunchy outsides (thanks, skillet) and a gooey inside full of refried black beans, spinach and cheese. They’re lightened up with plain Greek yogurt for sour cream and corn tortillas for flour. Happy Meatless Monday!

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Dairy-Free, Entrée, Gluten-Free, Meal Prep, Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian

Jazzed Up Beans & Rice

Annie

Bean & Quinoa with Mango Salsa

I just came home from a long weekend in the Sunshine State, where I had the most delicious honey mango and a southwestern-inspired salad; although two separate events, the pair seemed like they could go well together. Thus, I give you Beans & Quinoa with Mango Salsa. A quick, simple spin on traditional Beans & Rice, but packed with flavor: sweet from the mango salsa, fresh from the chopped cilantro and spicy from the red pepper. Top over quinoa, black beans and avocado and you’d never know you only used six ingredients for the tastiest bowl. (You can even scoop it all up with some tortilla chips for a crunch.)

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Dairy-Free, Dessert, Lightened Up, One Pot Dish, Snack, Vegan, Vegetarian

Bountiful Brownies

Annie

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I hope everyone trusts me on this: these Fudgy Black Bean Brownies were surprisingly delicious — so simple and very delicious. They’re so dense, they’re almost like fudge. Our family friend, Cathy, has made black bean brownies before, and since she’s the queen of all things chocolate and desserts, I decided to give these a try. It’s worth using a brownie mix because you can substitute the eggs, oil and water for a can of pureed black beans. If you’re trying to eat vegan or are baking for vegan friends, this a great recipe to share with them. These brownies would even be a perfect snack for that chocolate craving you’re having. The black bean brownies are thick, extremely fudgy and dense, and almost guilt-free. (Not quite, but at least there’s added protein! Also great with pumpkin puree — Pumpkin Brownies. May sound weird, but you can’t knock them until you try them.)

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Dairy-Free, Entrée, Gluten-Free, Lightened Up, Meal Prep, Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian

Let’s Taco ‘Bout Taco Salads

Annie

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I’m obsessed with avocados. I’ll find any excuse to incorporate them into a dish, I love that meal that much more. But here, the avocados were just begging to be added to something great. Something different from my normal dinners, but something fresh and perfect for the heat spell. With some cilantro on hand among other things, a Quinoa Taco Salad emerged.

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